Audiobook Review for Beautiful Monster: a Steamy Age Gap Romance by Sara Cate, Harley Quinn Smith (Narrator), Aaron Shedlock (Narrator)

 

Beautiful Monster: a Steamy Age Gap Romance by Sara Cate, Harley Quinn Smith (Narrator), Aaron Shedlock (Narrator)

Published:  October 27, 2026 by Sara Cate

Genre:  Romance, Age Gap, Audiobook

Taken from Goodreads:  Love is a monster. Alexander Caldwell has spent his life avoiding anything that resembles permanence.Until he buys a house in the suburbs and decides, at last, that it might be time to grow up.Then Sunny Thorn walks into his backyard.Shes too young. Too restless. Too determined to escape the small life waiting for her in Pineridge. And she has no business occupying his thoughts the way she does.Sunny only took the job painting Alexanders pool house because she needs the money. Money means freedom. A future. A way out.Falling for the older man watching her from across the pool was never part of the plan.Neither was discovering that beneath Alexanders polished arrogance is a loneliness she understands far too well.He knows wanting her is wrong.She knows staying could cost her the future shes been fighting for.Falling in love ruins both of their plans.But if they've learned anything this summer, it's that love is a monstera beautiful one.This newly revised edition features updated content and refreshed text. For readers who love forbidden romance, age gaps, complicated desire, and emotionally messy love stories.

My Thoughts: Age Gape is a hit or miss genre for me.   This one is a hit.  I enjoyed that it was not only a daddy issue that makes Sunny run to Alexander.  There is a need for safety, for respect, for family that pushes her to find solace in Alexander’s house.

Sunny is a woman who wants to be strong, self-sufficient, and loved.   She finds all of that with Alexander.  I like how careful they are with each other.   They know that their feelings are legal but will be seen as taboo by many people.  The feelings between them are real, strong, and steamy. 

This book is wonderful.  I listened to it and the narrators are perfect.  I love the dual narrators.   The characters were brought to life with the narrators voices and tones.  I could feel all the emotions, heat, and frustrations.

Thank you Hambright PR for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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Release Blitz for Beneath the Quiet Sky by L.H. Cosway

 Beneath the Quiet Sky by L.H. Cosway is now live!

Erin never thought she’d see Tristan Balfe again, so it’s no surprise that he doesn’t remember her. After their brief friendship when she was a struggling, homeless teenager, she left town with no plans to return.

Fast forward nineteen years and she’s the manager of her uncle’s hotel, the Astor Cove. It’s an old but much beloved establishment in dire need of some TLC. Tristan, now one of the most successful hoteliers in the country, has set his sights on the historic building and is keen to turn it into an exclusive location for his wealthy clientele.

Erin doesn’t want things at the Astor Cove to change and she tries to convince her uncle not to sell, but he’s seduced by the idea of a luxury retirement and Tristan’s persistence wins out. The only silver lining? Erin and some of the other legacy staff will get to keep their jobs under the new ownership.

So now she must work alongside Tristan while they transform her beloved place of work into something shiny and new, and Erin learns that Tristan can be just as persistent a flirt as he is a businessman. He’s determined that they’ve met before even though he can’t remember when or how, but Erin has no interest in revisiting her painful past and insists they’re strangers. The problem? Tristan’s irresistible charm and playful personality awakens something in Erin, something she’d promised herself long ago was dead.

Erin is powerless to prevent being swept into Tristan’s orbit, but she fears that when he finally remembers who she is—and how she heartlessly abandoned him all those years ago—he’ll no longer want her at all.

Beneath the Quiet Sky is book #5 in The Quiet Love Series and can be read as a standalone.

Includes prequel novella, A Quiet Promise.

 Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited!

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Amazon Worldwide: https://geni.us/3izABK     

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Book Blitz for The Shadowless by R.J. Garcia with a GIVEAWAY

 

The Shadowless
R.J. Garcia
(At the Corner of Eden and Darkness, #1)
Publication date: November 26th 2025
Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult

Modern Faerie Tale Meets Murder

Mae Dawson returns to her family’s cabin in a mysterious forest to search for her missing sister. One night, she goes to sleep in her bed only to awaken in the depths of the woods surrounded by eerie and indiscernible voices that lead her to her sister’s grave.

A year has passed. Mae has pieced her life back together. She has a supportive boyfriend and is completing her first semester in college. However, everything begins to unravel when strange late-night calls come from the beyond, and a malevolent force begins to invade her friends.

Adding to her unease is the presence of a mysterious stranger, Brandon Sills, who seems to lurk in the shadows, watching her every move. Despite the warning bells ringing in her mind, Mae feels an inexplicable attraction to him.

As mortal and magical forces conspire against them, Mae must trust Brandon to uncover the secrets of the fae. Secrets that will change her life forever, if she even survives.

The Spellbound
R.J. Garcia
(At the Corner of Eden and Darkness, #2)
Publication date: December 2nd 2026
Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult

Magic Meets Mayhem

Back in Willows End, Mae and Brandon find themselves in the thick of things after kidnapping her ex. As they attempt to banish a changeling, Mae begins to question her sanity, and the threat of a serial killer draws ever closer.

Even sleep offers no reprieve. Mae can no longer find Emmie in the Garden—her dreams of wonder have become nightmares. Before long, she discovers her sister is lost in Limbo.

One night, Mae is alone in the cabin when she hears someone breaking in. Her only hope is her possessed ex—chained in the spare room. Mae is forced to choose the lesser of two evils. Once Mae makes her choice, the changeling assumes human form, an ancient prophecy stirs, and nothing is as it seems.

Haunted by fear and doubt, Mae clings to her love for Brandon, the last sure thing in her life, and her greatest hope of saving her sister. But are things really as certain as they seem?

Goodreads / Amazon

—

SNEAK PEEK QUOTES:

The Shadowless:

“I pulled myself out of a dream and glared with a pirate eye at my buzzing phone. Then I caught sight of Emmie’s name flashing on the screen. There would be nothing unusual about it except, of course, it’s the middle of the night and my sister’s dead.”

The Spellbound:

“It was more than the way his blue eyes twinkled, and how his mouth moved like honey. It was more than him being handsome, kind, and magical. It was the feeling I had, a connection I can’t quite explain.”

—

Author Bio:

R.J. Garcia is a wife, and proud mom of two smart kids. She earned her MSW and worked with foster children and as a school social worker. Writing has been her other great love. She has been writing short stories for as long as she can remember. To her amazement, those short stories became novels!

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram

GIVEAWAY!

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Spotlight for EIGHT WAYS TO SAY I LOVE YOU by Amanda Elliot

 

EIGHT WAYS TO SAY I LOVE YOU by Amanda Elliot

Published:  October 27, 2026 by Berkley Trade Paperback Original

Genre:  Holiday; Friends to Lovers; Contemporary Romance

The story: This Hanukkah, Shira Levinson is returning home to New Jersey riding the high of achieving major milestones. Though she only just graduated from college, she's got her dream job and a perfect Los Angeles apartment—an actual miracle in the city of dreams.

Life has not been quite as kind to Leo David. Not only did he fail out of college, he was forced to move in with his estranged dad, who he still hates for cheating on his mom years ago. The only silver lining? Getting to see Shira, his childhood friend (and crush, though he’ll never tell her that) while she’s home for her family's holiday party.

But that's just the beginning. Over the next eight years, Shira's and Leo's lives spin them in all sorts of directions as they grow and change, taking them places they never imagined going. Sometimes those paths take them farther away from each other, and other times closer together. If they can only time it right, they might uncover a love that burns forever.

Add to your MUST-READ list on Goodreads

Purchase your own copy on Amazon

 

 

Author Bio: USA Today bestselling author Amanda Elliot lives with her family in New Jersey, where she experiments with homemade ice cream flavors, tries her best to grow vegetables in her tiny garden, and writes mysteries under the name Bellamy Rose.

Audiobook Review for Reaper's Wrath: A Mafia Captive Romance Tribute to The Princess Bride by Jill Ramsower, Melissa Barr (Narrator), James Cassidy (Narrator)

 

Reaper's Wrath: A Mafia Captive Romance Tribute to The Princess Bride by Jill Ramsower, Melissa Barr (Narrator), James Cassidy (Narrator)

Published:   October 15, 2026 by Jill Ramsower LLC

My Thoughts:  I thought he was dead ... until he kidnapped me from my wedding...

A tribute to the 1987 film The Princess Bride, Reapers Wrath is a mafia captive adventure romance by Amazon Top 35 Bestselling author Jill Ramsower.

Elio
Isa thinks a childhood friend has come to save her.
She has no idea I'm his identical twin.

Everyone from my past thinks I was killed, and in a way, I was.

I'm not the same boy who was abducted, but the monster he became.
A man so lethal, I'm now known as ... the Reaper.

I've returned for a single purpose, and it isn't to save Isa.
I'm here to claim her.

What to expect in Reapers Wrath:- Second chance
- Amnesia
- Kidnapped/Forced Proximity
- Tragic past
- Touch her and die
- Has an HEA
- Can be read as a standalone
- Dual POV
- Content warnings Loss of loved one, infertility and pregnancy issues, reference to child SA/trafficking

My Thoughts: The Reaper is just as his name sounds.   He is deadly, the kind of man that does not take no for an answer, the kind of man who does not forgive and forget, the kind of man that claims what he wants.   He has claimed Isa as his.

I am not usually a mafia romance reader but this book called to me, so I gave it a go. Reaper’s Wrath has shown me that stepping out of my comfort zone is a good thing.  I enjoyed the entire story.   The mafia storyline was not the entire storyline.   The romance was the bigger part of the story.  The book is the perfect mix with a lot of heat.

 I listened to the audiobook version and I enjoyed every word.  The narrators are perfect.  Their voices are the exact tone needed for the characters.  They are the perfect duet for this mafia book.   I will look for more from both the author and the narrators.

Thank you Hambright PR for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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Book Review for The Piano Teacher of Montparnasse by Heather Morris

 The Piano Teacher of Montparnasse by Heather Morris

Published:   October 20, 2026 by Blackstone Publishing, Inc.

Genre:  Historical Fiction, WWII

Taken from Goodreads:  #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Tattooist of Auschwitz brings listeners another heart wrenching tale of love, family, and sacrifice. 
 
In 1942, the Nazis came for a Jewish family living in the Montparnasse area of occupied Paris. In the chaos, the 11-year-old daughter ran to the only person she could trust—her piano Andrée Levallois, secretly a French Resistance operative, took her in, risking everything. But the authorities were closing in, and soon Andrée and the girl were caught in a desperate race to stay alive. 
 
Andrée was denounced, arrested, tortured, and sent to the hell of Ravensbrück Women’s Concentration Camp. There, she fought for her life, determined to return and honor her promise to save the girl who had been entrusted to her care. 
 
Epic in scope, and based on true life people and events, Heather Morris has written a story of breathtaking beauty—at once gripping, heartbreaking, and uplifting.

My Thoughts: This book had me in tears! The story is written about a young Jewish girl, Josie, who is kept safe during WWII by her piano teacher.  That is not the entire story.   There are relationships built, families formed, and families torn apart.  Josie is a little girl who has anything but an easy and happy childhood but those around her surround her in love, doing all they can to let her be a child.

WWII is my favorite time to read about, and this book is unique in that it is told surrounding a young Jewish girl.  The story is about her family, her schooling, her friendships, and how the war changed her path in life.  I could feel her fear, her awe at life, and the love she feels for those that take care of her.   She must trust people she does not know well and that trust becomes love and family. 

Heather Webb is a must-read author who writes historical fiction books that pull you in from the beginning and never let you go. The story is heartbreaking, the characters are real, and their lives matter.  All their lives matter and learning their stories make them real.   

Thank you Blackstone Publishing for a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. 

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Spotlight for THE CHRISTMAS COMPETITION by Zoe Allison

 

THE CHRISTMAS COMPETITION by Zoe Allison

Published:  October 20, 2026 by Berkley Trade Paperback Original

Genre:   Enemies to Lovers; Contemporary Romance; Holiday

 

The story: The local rumor mill in Nisa Ansari's small highland town is swirling about the downfall of her marriage, and in desperate need of a distraction, she enters her town’s Christmas house-decorating competition. The competition comes with the added bonus of getting on neighbor Kerr Murdoch’s last nerve. It’s the least she could do, considering her ex-husband left Nisa for Kerr’s girlfriend. And maybe if Kerr smiled or cracked a joke—just once!—his girlfriend would’ve stayed, and Nisa wouldn’t find herself alone during the holidays.

 

Introverted Kerr has trouble feeling comfortable around people he doesn’t know well. Newly single, he decorates his house in remembrance of his mother, who always had a soft spot for Christmas lights. But when Nisa's and Kerr’s decorations end up nearly identical, he incurs Nisa’s wrath.

 

This means all-out war, complete with gaudy wreaths, twinkle lights, and too many reindeer to count. Never mind that Nisa can’t keep her eyes off Kerr’s toned forearms. Or ignore that he’s a pet-loving veterinarian with a heart of gold. After conceding to her husband’s wishes for years, Nisa is determined to get her way. But as Christmas draws near, Nisa must decide what she actually wants: the familiar rivalry she’s had for years with Kerr, or opening herself up to the chance to fall in love with someone new.

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Author Bio: Zoe Allison is a graduate of the RNA's New Writers' Scheme. Alongside her day jobs as a doctor and a writer, she started a TikTok account in 2021 where she regularly shares comedic sketches based on writing, and the romance genre in particular.

Book Review for Love Me Wicked: Zeke Wicked by Melissa Foster

 Love Me Wicked: Zeke Wicked by Melissa Foster

Published:  October 28, 2026 by World Literary Press

Tropes: Small-town, found family, biker romance, close proximity, protective hero, savior hero, friends to lovers.

Taken from Goodreads:  A Dark Knight biker, a torturous secret, and a road trip that changes everything. Come along for the emotionally wicked ride in this steamy, pulse-pounding small-town standalone romance. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a happily ever after that will stay with you long after you read the last page.

Tattooist Aria Bad has mastered the art of hiding in plain sight. Her art is her only safe place. Crowded rooms make her panic. People’s eyes burn too hot. Except his. Zeke Wicked has been the steady presence she’s leaned on since he tutored her through high school. He’s a loyal, protective Dark Knight biker, the kind of man who sees everything and the one man who could unravel her without even trying. Every year he takes her to see her family for the holidays, but this year she’s harboring a secret and needs to go alone.

Years ago, Zeke swore to protect, and never touch, Aria, but that didn’t stop his heart from staking claim to her. Lately she’s been secretive and has been pulling away, and now she’s determined to make their annual trip without him, but his instincts won’t let her go alone. When a storm strands them, boundaries blur and buried feelings rise to the surface, unearthing a passion neither can deny. But as the storm clears, they discover two dangerous truths—one that ties them together and one that threatens to tear them apart.

My Thoughts:  I have been in need of Zeke’s story for so long.  Melissa Foster did not disappoint.  Aria is the perfect match for Zeke.  I love a friends to lovers story and this is one of the best I have ever read.   Aria and Zeke have been best friends for so long that moving to more than friends is scary.  They are so careful, but when love hits you cannot fight it for long.

The main story is always perfect but I love catching up with characters from past books too.   Their lives move on, they grow and change.  It is fun to see where they are, who they are with, and what they are doing.  Each book is a standalone book with a complete story so you can read them in any order. 

Everything about this book and series is exactly what I look for when I pick up a Melissa Foster book.   There are strong relationships, amazing friendships, and wonderful families. 

Thank you to the author for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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Available Now!! The Forbidden One by Marni Mann

 

The Forbidden One by Marni Mann is now live! An emotionally gripping, angsty, he-falls-first, billionaire romance from USA Today best-selling author Marni Mann … I don’t believe in love. He’s willing to burn down the world to win my heart. I never expected him to succeed. They used to call me the sassy one. Unafraid. Uninhibited. Unstoppable. Until the night everything changed. The evening that scarred me and altered my life’s path. I was left shattered and haunted by who I’d never be and what I’d never have. Now, they call me the forbidden one. Closed off. Guarded. Surrounded by affection, but unwilling to love anyone besides my family. And then, out of nowhere, comes a man I least expect. Impressive on paper, even more so in person, and after each encounter, he leaves me craving … More than I’ve wanted with any other man. Moments that will overshadow the darkest ones. Troy Wolf is everything I’m not looking for. Everything I don’t want. And yet he’s everything I need. There’s just one problem … My heart is locked. Can I open it enough to let Troy in? Or will the ghosts from my past stand between us and our forever? Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited Audiobook Narrated by: Connor Crais & Samantha Brentmoor Visit Marni Mann’s website for buy links, or search The Forbidden One by Marni Mann on Amazon and your retailer of choice for audiobooks. Don’t forget to add The Forbidden One by Marni Mann to your Goodreads TBR! Ebook: https://geni.us/TheForbiddenOne Audiobook: https://geni.us/TheForbiddenOneAudio Goodreads: https://bit.ly/4nbnPEl

Now Available Breakaway Bet by Lisa Suzanne

 

Breakaway Bet by Lisa Suzanne is now live! Waking up with a ring on my finger and a professional hockey player in my bed was not on my Vegas itinerary. Especially since that hockey player is Vegas Vengeance superstar Cash Maddox, my brother's sworn enemy. But maybe he's exactly the kind of reckless choice I need. I'm the youngest Bradley...sheltered, overprotected, and, yes, still a virgin. He's an experienced bad boy a decade older than me. But a white dress and too much tequila lead us straight to a wedding chapel I don't remember visiting. When the hangover wears off, I realize this is my chance to break away from my family's constant hovering. We agree to two simple rules: pretend we're happily married, and don't let feelings get involved. Except Cash makes pretending a little too easy. Behind his cocky smirk is a fiercely protective, thoughtful man who inspires me to take risks. Every heated glance and stolen touch leaves me aching for him to be my first. I was only supposed to stay married to him. I wasn't supposed to fall for him. But the more I hear Cash call me his wife, the more I want it to be real. Until the secret he's keeping catches up with us. And when I discover the truth, all bets are off. Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited Audiobook Narrated by: Gideon Frost & Daphne Fields Visit Lisa Suzanne’s website for buy links, or search Breakaway Bet by Lisa Suzanne on Amazon and Audible. Don’t forget to add Breakaway Bet by Lisa Suzanne to your Goodreads TBR! Amazon: https://geni.us/BreakawayBet Audible: https://geni.us/BreakawayBetAudible Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3RPKeeX